


A Lost Conversation

by Severedpsychos



Category: Metal Gear, Metal Gear Solid, Peace Walker - Fandom
Genre: Big Boss has a gentle soul, Codenames, Doctor Visits, I resent my husband for giving V this character history, Metal gear Zeke - Freeform, Paz is a hero, R.I.P, Tragedy, V is a daddy, but sex with a minor..., heart-rending sadness, heh, the ending of Paz, unexpected tear-jerkers, weeding out the mole
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-30
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-06 01:21:15
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,608
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25605001
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Severedpsychos/pseuds/Severedpsychos
Summary: The Medic has one last appointment to keep with Paz. A conversation occurs revealing some of the Medic’s past life and his knowledge of who Paz may really be.
Relationships: Big Boss & the Medic, Big Boss/Paz references, Paz and V
Kudos: 2





	A Lost Conversation

“It’s Paz, right? Please state your full name for me.” The Doctor looked at her with a faint smile. He was not one for the redundancy involved in these types of visits, but it did establish a sense of the usual and familiar.

His visitor sighed in a way the showcases her exasperation with the situation, “Paz Ortega Andrade, I am 16, Blond hair and blue eyes. Must we do this now, Mr Doctor, Sir?”

Her exasperation was mildly amusing, but this particular visit, however, was much more than business as usual. “Yes, this happens now, Paz.” His voice was hard, but his eyes were gentle. He had put up with enough and kept silent about her secrets. He relaxed as his tone registered in Paz’s expression. “You can’t expect me to keep pandering to the illusion you have built here on Mother Base. You are in no way 16. You are early to mid twenties based on the wear of your teeth and how your bone structure is, it is far ahead of 16 developmentally as shown by the x-rays. I doubt Paz is even the name you were born with. No one keeps to their birth names here though so I will let that slide.”

Paz’s eyes had grown wide in shock taking on the quality of a frightened animal. He decided to ease up and shift the line of discussion. “Paz,” he continued, “Are you happy here? I’ve watched over you since the day Snake brought you here. You were distant and slow to integrate, as if you were afraid of some horrible future event. Over the brief time you have been here though you have since blossomed into the life of the party. I’ve seen you befriend Amanda, Cécile, Dr. Strangelove, even be gentle with the eager affection of young Chico. That speaks to me of a person who has found happiness. Hell, you are even working on something with Kaz for the celebration later today. Take time and think of your answer. I am a friend and the only thing I have told Snake is your real age. Very hilarious, by the way, as to how you seduced him with aggression. He has a gentle soul, even if it’s more scarred up than his body. Still, he didn’t need the added guilt of having intercourse with a minor.”

Paz had gone from the white of shock to the astoundingly deep red of embarrassment. She struggled to master her emotions, visibly. Fright warred with embarrassment and oddly enough acceptance. She finally got herself straightened out but retained a patina of redness that belied the apparent calm. “I believe I am happy here, despite the aura of waiting violence, the people here have found a home and it feels like I have too. Maybe I am here to teach these men, these soldiers, that there is more to this life than rage and death. That there can be Peace in this world. That is a dream I wish to be a part of, to live in that world.”

Paz’s words struck cords in his heart that had long been still and silent, numbed by pain long past, yet vibrated now at this young woman’s words. So familiar and yet so strange. Words spilled forth telling Paz something only Snake knew. “You remind me of my daughter, you two would have gotten along very well, I should think. She would only be a few years older than you.”

Paz spoke the words, the words he had dreaded hearing any time he mentioned his family. “Where is she? What about your wife? I didn’t realize you had a family, you never talk about them.....” Paz trailed off, coming to a heartbreaking realization even as she must have seen the dark pain lingering behind his eyes.

He took a steadying breath and responded. “They were killed by a drunk driver as my wife took her to her first day at college. I never realized it til now but you’ve always reminded me of her. I know you’ve noticed I tended to treat you like a kid despite knowing better, like last night for instance.” He gave a brief smile that was tainted with and edge of bitter sorrow.

Paz’s expression softened to the point of heartfelt tears. He saw all walls vanish in that moment between them. Walls he knew she had had but not that he himself did. “ I cannot express my sorrow for you, to have something so precious ripped away. Yes I very much noticed you acted as a father to me. It wasn’t unpleasant if I am to admit it. You are the only one in my life who has acted even remotely like a father to me. If I could have chosen, I wish you could have been a father to me. My life was filled with cruelty and competition. We were driven like animals for no better reason than to see who could survive. Forgive me, it is too much for me to speak of.”

The moment of pure unfettered connection passed. Her walls slid back up softly but unyieldingly. “In time I could help you work through those experiences if you are willing to let me.” Tears clouded both their vision. Not tears of sadness but tears of two souls reaching for comfort from the darkest spaces of their souls. “Go on kiddo, you’ve got a concert to prep for. Break a leg.” 

Her smile was bright, brighter than tears, brighter than fears, brighter than the dark that tried to suffocate them. “I will save my favorite doctor a front row seat. You better show up or I will get Snake to drag you there for me. We both know he would be the only one who could pull it off, you stubborn man.” She left with a graceful step that seemed on the edge of springing into dance.

He sat for a moment in the office, the silence of her absence a stark contrast of the emotion laden conversation that had occurred moments ago. He needed a dip, he decided. Soon enough he was floating along at the base of the platform Mother Base rested upon. The ocean swallowed his sorrows and purified his heart and mind. He felt at peace once more, losing himself in the ebb and roll of the waves.

Paz felt a soaring joy as she reached her room. A joy that lasted only as long as it took to reach for the tape recorder. In its place underneath her pillow she discovered something else was there as well. A simple note that stated two words. Contingency Alpha. Her heart shattered into fragments to small to be believably repaired. She couldn’t disobey these orders. They would now have to either join Cipher or die. Suddenly a hope bloomed, fragile and streaked with terror. She would have to play a part perfectly and sacrifice herself for the faint hope Zero would choose to not push Snake for some time with this plan’s failure. Face grim and demeanor cold. She made way to the preparations she had enacted for this very moment. She put on the mask of traitor and deceiver, while on the inside she prepared for death, praying it would be enough to spare those she had come to cherish. In her heart she begged for forgiveness. “Forgive me Father, I wish I didn’t need to make you lose another daughter. I do it to save us. I do it so all of you can be happy and find peace.” Tears renewed as she experienced despair and frustration at the futility and helplessness she felt engulfing her. Drying her eyes she marched forth like the trained soldier she was, to die a traitor’s death.

Floating still he felt the icy wind of premonition drag icy fingers down his spine. A few moments later he heard explosions and the shriek of tortured metal. “No.........” He had no idea why he said it but he was in motion before he could reason out why. He had arrived too late, only to see Paz drop limply into the ocean, followed not far after by Metal Gear Zeke, her body looked completely relaxed as if resigned to the embrace of the ocean below as if it had only been a matter of when. As if it was the decree of fate that that was how it shall be. A sense of the surreal washed over him as he swore he saw a smile on her face. It was the smile of one who had disappeared played her part well. She hadn’t lied to him so why, why would she do this? 

Without thought, he sprinted for the edge of the platform and dove into the ocean, passing a distraught Snake who had an expression of extreme disquiet. Kaz was walking up as well, a tortured expression written large upon his features. He swam and dove for hours, deep into the night. Snake came to him eventually and even spoke, but he didn’t hear any words, he really didn’t give a damn. He needed to save his daughter. The thought sent a jolt full of an even deeper searing pain. A pained scream ate into the insatiable dark, battling the sound of the waves for supremacy. All care left his body and he sank, he would have let himself drown if Snake hadn’t been there to drag him back. Just as Paz said he would. He knew in his bones he would repay Snake for saving his life, he also knew it would be the hardest thing he would ever do.


End file.
